Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury photos (31 available)
Shaftesbury maps (2 available)
Map of Dorset
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
Personalised maps
Create an historic map centred directly on any postcode!
Shaftesbury books (18 available)
- 3 photos on Shaftesbury appear in 2 Frith books - View photos of Shaftesbury
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Shaftesbury and Dorset
Shaftesbury memories
Read and share memories of Shaftesbury and Dorset inspired by Frith photos
Shaftesbury's bad reputation!
Shaftesbury's position high on a hilltop with only a meagre water supply meant that water had to be brought up to the town from wells at the bottom of the steep slopes, usually by horses and donkeys carrying barrels. Water sellers then went round the town's houses selling water by the bucketful. However, Shaftesbury's position at the crossroads of several main coaching routes meant that it was abundantly supplied with inns and beer houses. This scarcity of water and preponderance of inns, together with the fact that the churchyard for the now vanished St John’s Church (on St John’s Hill) was set on a steep slope high above the church itself, prompted Thomas Hardy's famous description of the town in his ...read more here
Contributed by Julia Skinner
Hovis Hill
This is the hill that appeared in the Hovis television adverts - supposedly in a northern town, but in reality in deepest Dorset! At the top it is about 700 feet above sea level. It is now the scene of the once a year Gold Hill Festival in July.
Contributed by John Buck
Dorset memories
Shaftesbury's bad reputation!
Shaftesbury's position high on a hilltop with only a meagre water supply meant that water had to be brought up to the town from wells at the bottom of the steep slopes, usually by horses and donkeys carrying barrels. Water sellers then went round the town's houses selling water by the bucketful. However, Shaftesbury's position at the crossroads of several main coaching routes meant that it was abundantly supplied with inns and beer houses. This scarcity of water and preponderance of inns, together with the fact that the churchyard for the now vanished St John’s Church (on St John’s Hill) was set on a steep slope high above the church itself, prompted Thomas Hardy's famous description of the town in his ...read more here
A memory of Shaftesbury contributed by Julia Skinner
Hovis Hill
This is the hill that appeared in the Hovis television adverts - supposedly in a northern town, but in reality in deepest Dorset! At the top it is about 700 feet above sea level. It is now the scene of the once a year Gold Hill Festival in July.
A memory of Shaftesbury contributed by John Buck
Extracts From Shaftesbury & Dorset books
Shaftesbury had, and still has, though not to the same extent, a large number of ancient inns, catering as it did
for travellers on the London Road. An unkind slur alleged that ‘beer is more common in Shaftesbury than any
other fluid’.
An extract from from"Dorset Photographic Memories".
The hill-top town of Shaftesbury, or Shaston as it is sometimes known, owes its foundation to Alfred the Great, showing much evidence of its Saxon origins. It has achieved popularity with visitors who wish to explore the far north of Dorset and the neighbouring county of Wiltshire.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".
The Grosvenor Hotel, seen here on the right, used to house a famous piece of Victorian furniture, the Chevy Chase Sideboard. This was carved from solid oak, representing the border battle of that name which took place in 1388.
An extract from from"Dorset Photographic Memories".
The hilltop town of Shaftesbury began its existence during the Iron Age, but it became important when King Alfred founded an abbey here and installed his daughter as abbess. Gold Hill has featured in a number of feature films and television commercials.
An extract from from"Dorset Revisited Photographic Memories".
Gold Hill has been the location for several films and television programmes, including the 1960s version of ‘Far From the Madding Crowd’, and a much-broadcast commercial for bread. Despite its fame, Gold Hill remains one of the most beautiful streets in England.
An extract from from"Dorset Living Memories".